Zeus
Culture & SocietyWhat is the meaning of Zeus in the Bible?
Zeus functioned as the supreme deity in Hellenic religion, recognized as the ruler of gods and humans, and was associated with epithets such as Olympius and Xenius. During the Maccabean period, Antiochus IV Epiphanes attempted to impose Hellenistic culture on Jerusalem by rededicating the Jewish Temple to Zeus.
SIGNIFICANCE
Understanding Zeus clarifies the religious conflict described in 1 and 2 Maccabees, where the desecration of the Temple by Antiochus IV involved the installation of a statue of Zeus, illustrating the intense pressure to abandon Jewish monotheism for Greek polytheism.
Bible Study Quick-Reference Guide
- Why did the biblical author mention Zeus in this passage?
- What cultural or historical assumption does Zeus clarify?
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Source Attribution
Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and shortened for clarity.